California: Alcohol & drugs Practice Test
DUI laws, BAC limits, and the consequences of driving impaired.
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Questions are original and based on the official manual "California Driver Handbook" (2025), California DMV.
All 24 questions in this practice test
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Who is responsible for knowing how your medications affect your driving?
- The pharmacy that filled the prescription.
- You are.
- Nobody, since only prescription medicine can impair driving and over-the-counter products are always safe.
- DMV, which reviews prescriptions issued to licensed drivers.
Show answer
Correct answer: You are.
Both prescription and over-the-counter medicines can make you an unsafe driver, and it is your own responsibility to know their effects.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 9 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 9)
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Under California's DUI laws, how is a medicine prescribed by your doctor treated if it makes you unsafe to drive?
- The law draws no line between it and an illegal drug
- It is always permitted behind the wheel
- It is allowed as long as you keep the pharmacy label in the car
- Only drivers under 21 can be charged for it
Show answer
Correct answer: The law draws no line between it and an illegal drug
California law makes no distinction between illegal drugs, prescriptions, and over-the-counter medicines. What matters is whether the substance affects your ability to drive safely.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 72 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 72)
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An officer who suspects you of driving under the influence asks you to take a blood or urine test. What happens if you refuse?
- Nothing, because the test is voluntary
- You are fined but keep your license
- DMV will suspend or revoke your driving privilege for one year
- You must retake the knowledge and drive tests within 30 days
Show answer
Correct answer: DMV will suspend or revoke your driving privilege for one year
Refusing a chemical test carries its own penalty: DMV suspends or revokes your driving privilege for a full year.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 72 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 72)
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A 16-year-old is convicted of riding a bicycle while under the influence of alcohol. How can this affect driving?
- Bicycle offenses never touch a driving record
- The driving privilege may be suspended or delayed for one year
- The bicycle is confiscated but nothing else happens to the rider
- The penalty applies only once the rider turns 18
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Correct answer: The driving privilege may be suspended or delayed for one year
Riders aged 13 to 20 convicted of operating a bicycle under the influence can lose or have delayed their driving privilege for one year once they are old enough to drive.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 72 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 72)
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You are a passenger in a friend's car, not the driver. Is it legal for you to eat a cannabis edible during the trip?
- Yes, the ban on cannabis covers only the driver
- Yes, if the car is on a city street, not a highway
- Yes, as long as you are 21 years old or older
- No, it is illegal for passengers as well as for drivers
Show answer
Correct answer: No, it is illegal for passengers as well as for drivers
It is illegal to drink any alcohol or to smoke or eat a cannabis product while you are driving or riding as a passenger in a vehicle.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 72 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 72)
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You are carrying a bottle of wine that has already been opened. Where may it legally be kept?
- In the glove box, as long as it is closed
- In the trunk or another area where passengers do not sit
- On the floor behind the front seats
- Anywhere in the car, as long as no one drinks from it
Show answer
Correct answer: In the trunk or another area where passengers do not sit
An opened container must ride in the trunk or a space passengers do not occupy. Keeping it in the glove box is specifically illegal.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 72 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 72)
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What blood alcohol concentration makes driving illegal for a person over 21 years old?
- 0.05% or higher
- 0.10% or higher
- 0.08% or higher
- 0.02% or higher
Show answer
Correct answer: 0.08% or higher
The legal limit for drivers over 21 is a BAC of 0.08%. Reaching it is enough for a DUI charge.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 73 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 73)
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A 19-year-old driver is stopped. At what BAC does driving become illegal for that driver?
- 0.01% or higher
- 0.04% or higher
- 0.05% or higher
- 0.08% or higher
Show answer
Correct answer: 0.01% or higher
Drivers under 21 face a near-zero limit of 0.01%, far stricter than the adult limit.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 73 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 73)
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A 40-year-old driver is currently on DUI probation. Which BAC limit applies to them?
- The standard 0.08% limit
- 0.04%, the commercial limit
- 0.01%, the same as a driver under 21
- 0.06%, a special probation limit
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Correct answer: 0.01%, the same as a driver under 21
Anyone on DUI probation is held to the 0.01% limit regardless of age.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 73 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 73)
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Which drivers become subject to the 0.04% BAC limit?
- Drivers of vehicles needing a commercial license, or driving a passenger for hire
- Drivers over 65 years old, no matter what type of vehicle they drive
- Anyone driving any vehicle between midnight and 5 a.m.
- Motorcycle riders and anyone towing a trailer on a two-lane highway
Show answer
Correct answer: Drivers of vehicles needing a commercial license, or driving a passenger for hire
A 0.04% BAC is illegal for drivers of vehicles that require a commercial driver's license and for anyone driving a passenger for hire.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 73 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 73)
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Can a driver be arrested and convicted of DUI even when no BAC measurement is taken?
- No, a BAC reading is always required for a conviction
- Yes, if the level of impairment is bad enough
- Only if the driver admits to drinking
- Only for drivers under 21
Show answer
Correct answer: Yes, if the level of impairment is bad enough
Visible impairment alone can support a DUI arrest and conviction. A number on a test is not required, and a BAC under the limit does not mean you are safe.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 73 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 73)
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On the handbook's BAC table, what counts as one standard drink?
- Any single glass or can, whatever kind of alcohol it contains
- 5 oz. 80 proof liquor, 1.5 oz. 5% beer, or 12 oz. 12% wine
- 12 oz. of any alcoholic beverage, whether beer, wine, or liquor
- 1.5 oz. 80 proof liquor, 12 oz. 5% beer, or 5 oz. 12% wine
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Correct answer: 1.5 oz. 80 proof liquor, 12 oz. 5% beer, or 5 oz. 12% wine
The table defines one drink as 1.5 oz. of 80 proof liquor, 12 oz. of 5% beer, or 5 oz. of 12% wine, since each contains a similar amount of alcohol.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 73 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 73)
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When you drive in California, what do you consent to if a law enforcement officer suspects you of DUI?
- A breath, blood, or urine test
- Only the one test you choose, which you may also decline
- A search of your vehicle, phone, and belongings
- A waiver of your right to a DMV hearing
Show answer
Correct answer: A breath, blood, or urine test
Driving in California means you have already consented to chemical testing when an officer suspects impairment.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 74 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 74)
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What does California's Administrative Per Se law require after a DUI arrest?
- That the court schedule a trial within 10 days
- That DMV suspend your driving privilege
- That your vehicle be sold at auction
- That you enroll in a DUI program before arraignment
Show answer
Correct answer: That DMV suspend your driving privilege
The Administrative Per Se law obliges DMV to suspend the driving privilege of a driver arrested for DUI, separately from anything the court does.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 74 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 74)
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After a DUI arrest, the officer takes your driver's license. How long is the temporary license you receive valid?
- 10 days
- 60 days
- 30 days
- Until your court date, however long that takes
Show answer
Correct answer: 30 days
The officer may confiscate your license and issue a temporary one that lasts 30 days.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 74 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 74)
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How long do you have to request a DMV administrative hearing after a DUI arrest?
- 10 days from the date of arrest
- 30 days from the date of arrest
- Until the first court appearance
- One year from the date of arrest
Show answer
Correct answer: 10 days from the date of arrest
The request must reach DMV within 10 days of the arrest date, a very short window.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 74 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 74)
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If you are convicted of a DUI, what does DMV do to your driving privilege?
- Adds a warning note to your record only
- Restricts it to daytime driving for six months
- Suspends or revokes it for one year
- Leaves it alone unless the court orders otherwise
Show answer
Correct answer: Suspends or revokes it for one year
A DUI conviction brings a one-year suspension or revocation of the driving privilege from DMV.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 74 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 74)
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Which of these is required of a driver convicted of DUI in California?
- Selling the vehicle involved within 30 days of the conviction
- Completing a DUI program and filing proof of insurance (SR 22/SR 1P)
- Retaking the written knowledge test every year for three years
- Reporting in person to a DMV field office every month
Show answer
Correct answer: Completing a DUI program and filing proof of insurance (SR 22/SR 1P)
A convicted driver must finish a DUI program, file an SR 22/SR 1P insurance proof certificate, and pay reissue or restriction fees. An ignition interlock device may also be ordered.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 74 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 74)
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What is the maximum jail term the handbook lists as a possible penalty for a DUI conviction?
- Up to 30 days
- Up to six months
- Up to two years
- Jail is never a possibility for a DUI
Show answer
Correct answer: Up to six months
A DUI conviction can bring up to six months in jail, along with fines, vehicle impound costs, and possible civil lawsuits if someone is seriously hurt or killed.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 74 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 74)
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How long does a DUI conviction stay on your driver's record?
- 3 years
- 5 years
- 7 years
- 10 years
Show answer
Correct answer: 10 years
DUI convictions remain on the record for 10 years, and another DUI within that period can bring an extra penalty from the court or DMV.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 74 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 74)
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When may a driver under 21 legally carry an alcoholic beverage inside the vehicle?
- Never, under any circumstances, until they turn 21
- When someone 21 or older is present and the container is full and sealed
- Whenever the bottle is kept closed and stored on the back seat
- On any trip shorter than 25 miles, if a parent has agreed
Show answer
Correct answer: When someone 21 or older is present and the container is full and sealed
An under-21 driver needs a person 21 or older present, and the container must be full, sealed, and unopened. An opened container must go in the trunk or a non-passenger area. There is one exception: someone working for a person with an off-site liquor sales license may carry alcoholic beverages in closed containers.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 75 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 75)
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A driver under 21 is caught with alcohol in the vehicle. For how long can law enforcement impound the vehicle?
- Up to 30 days
- Up to 10 days
- Up to 6 months
- The vehicle cannot be impounded for this
Show answer
Correct answer: Up to 30 days
The vehicle can be impounded for up to 30 days, and the court may also fine the driver and suspend the license for a year, or delay a first license by up to a year.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 75 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 75)
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A driver under 21 is convicted of a DUI with a BAC of 0.01% or higher. What are the consequences?
- A written warning from DMV, with no other penalty
- A fine only, with no action against the driving privilege
- A possible one-year revocation and a licensed DUI program
- A three-month restriction to daytime driving only
Show answer
Correct answer: A possible one-year revocation and a licensed DUI program
For an under-21 driver, a conviction at 0.01% or above can cost a full year of driving and requires completion of a licensed DUI program.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 75 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 75)
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An under-21 driver's preliminary alcohol screening (PAS) reads 0.05%. What may happen next?
- The officer may require a breath or blood test, and a later 0.05% or more can mean arrest
- The driver is released at once because 0.05% is under the adult legal limit
- The driver must repeat the PAS at a DMV office the following day
- Only a parent or guardian is notified, with no further testing
Show answer
Correct answer: The officer may require a breath or blood test, and a later 0.05% or more can mean arrest
A PAS result of 0.05% or higher lets the officer require a breath or blood test, and a confirmed 0.05% or higher can mean arrest and suspension.
Source: California Driver Handbook (2025), page 75 · Open this page in the manual (Manual page 75)